A Diversity of Emotion
by Welsh Gem
Summary: Amelia and Doppler have gone through many different emotions together: Annoyance, Trust, Amazement, Sadness, Joy, Grief, Anger, etc. Here are the various one-shots of their moments together as they embrace and create their own collection of emotions they have felt together. Rated for safety.
1. Serenity

**Serenity ~ Calm, Peaceful and Untroubled**

It had been a long six weeks, yet Doppler could still remember the day she left as if it was only yesterday. He could remember waking up upset, knowing this morning would be the last time he would see her for...

Space was unpredictable. Then again, so was life in general. The simplest, shortest trip could end in disaster. She might be gone for the predicted two months but if she's behind schedule (which she rarely is), possible two months and a day. If there's a major issue, she could be gone for three months, or four or five. And if something goes incredibly wrong, like if she's taken or fatally injured, maybe for years. And maybe, just maybe, never again.

Doppler never liked thinking like that. He always tried to push away the dreaded thoughts of never seeing her again. They rush through the morning routine so they could have a few hours to themselves before leaving to the space station. He would hold her close, stroke her hair. She typically would play fondly with his ears. She loves his ears. And his nose. Of course, she loved all of him but it was his ears and nose she favoured. Every time her fingertips ghosted over the tip of his floppy ear, he would try and calm his erratic heartbeat. Her usual amused smirk would play on her rosy lips, her malachite eyes shine with love. She was beautiful.

Eventually, the time would come where she walked up the gangplank and put on a mask of authority. On her ship, she demanded authority and respect. If you didn't, you'd be flung off the side of the stern and back onto the docks. She would be harsh, stern and in control, but calm. She never panicked, always thinking two steps ahead. She was never caught off guard, unlike him. That's what he admired the most about her, not her stunning looks or cruel sense of humour.

His Amelia would be gone, replaced by _Captain_ Amelia, a no-nonsense feline strict with rules and conduct.

But he would have preferred the company of Captain Amelia rather than...no Amelia.

The days slugged by, like a reluctant schoolboy on his way to class. He was restless at first, trying to get back into the habit of waking up to no ready tea or being without the tingling feeling of a sharp finger stroking the fur on his ear. Sometimes he would wake up and wonder where she is before remembering. The house was too quiet without her. Calm, but disturbingly so. He missed the sound of her soft breaths and crispy and clipped voice, the scent of the sensuous collect of perfumes she had collected from various ports and planets. There were no more footsteps, other than his own. Her were languid, very feline. His...more quick paced and he did have that habit of tripping over thin air.

He would miss her painfully so, a hole made in his heart that would not be filled until she returned home, to him.

But she would come back. She _always_ came back. Normally unhurt, maybe with a bruise or a graze from a little run in with a lone asteroid or taking a wrong footing while up in the shrouds (which rarely happened).

She would come back, tired from a long voyage. They didn't spend much time together when she returned, apart from the first ten minutes of privacy where they would make up for six weeks of separation with a long, passionate kiss and holding each other as if they were fearful of being torn apart too soon. After all, the first thing she would do upon returning to the mansion was to take a long, hot bath. He would find something for her to eat, warm it up and it would be ready for her when she gets out of her soak. She would eat, nestle down with a cup of tea later and fall asleep before he could wash the dishes.

He didn't blame her. How could he? It would be selfish of him to expect kisses and cuddles after she had been working for such a long time and was exceedingly exhausted. No, he'd let her be for the rest of the day. Whenever she woke up, whether it be in the morning or in the late evening, then they would cuddle upon the sofa and talk.

It would be peaceful, as if all the rush and excitement of returning home had vanished and had been replaced with a calm mood.

The logs were lit in the large fire grate, the ones at the bottom of the pile struggling to hold the ones upon them while trying to keep their own shape. The flames crackled and sparked fiercely, giving out enough light for them to see each other. The heat, however, needed the aid of a few thick blankets as they sprawled out over the sofa. Being the heavier one, he would be at the bottom. Plush cushions supported his head and propped him up slightly while she lay face-down on his chest, her right cheek embracing the soft fabric of his shirt while she faced the raging fire. Their legs tangled with each other and the blankets. His arms were protectively wrapped around her, one on her waist and the other placed gently at her nape. Her hands clutched his shirt, not letting go of him. Her head rose up and done in unison to his breathing chest. She found it comforting, knowing that he was there.

With a piercing crack, the bottom logs collapsed under the weight and the light dimmed slightly. Doppler fidgeted, as if trying to awake his body to prepare to worm his way from her grasp to place more logs on the fire.

"Leave it." Her thickly accented voice mumbled. She lazily opened one eye before raising her head to face him and opening the other. "Let it go out."

Doppler understood. They had been away for so long and been so far apart. Padmenonia was not a quick sail away; it took three whole weeks to get there and another three to return. They had been without each other for far too long, longing to be in each other's arms again. Why should he ruin their moment together just for the sake of a few logs?

They weren't worth it. Nothing was worth it, not even if he had the chance to gain the whole riches of Treasure Planet or go on another exciting adventure (even though the Treasure Planet voyage was too much adventurous for him).

Nothing was worth ruining their moment of serenity, erasing away all those torturous days without each other. He found it slightly humorous how he couldn't live long with her.

But not pathetic.

Love was not pathetic.

She didn't return her head to the same place it was before she moved. Her eyes kept trained onto his. Her dazzlingly bright green against his dark and earthly brown.

"I missed you." She muttered softly. Her eyelids are barely holding up. Even after her long nap, she was still tired. Or could it be the peacefulness of being back in his arms again? Or is it knowing for the next few weeks, she won't be troubled by the worry and stress of spacing. Or was it the intense warmth of his body, the blankets and the fire?

He smiled at her, leaned over and pecked her forehead. "I missed you too." His lips left an invisible imprint, her skin tingling with warmth. She blinked slowly, smiled and sighed happily. She was home, back to him. No more daily inspections, no more overlooking cargo and paperwork. At least until...

Her stomach dropped slightly, thinking about when she would have to leave again. Six weeks wasn't the longest voyage she had been on; the Treasure Planet one had taken nearly four months to reach the doomed planet. She worried if he would meet someone else while she was away or if something happened to her and she'd never see him again.

She stamped down the thoughts like her foot above a cardboard box. He wouldn't do something like that. Nothing had ever gone terribly wrong before, apart from the mutiny, but she always found a way out of it.

Pushing any thoughts about the future to the back of her head, Amelia snuggled into Doppler's frame and gave a contented sigh. _Just enjoy the moment, _she thought. _Don't think about anything._

And she didn't. Instead, she grazed his ankles with hers, making them tie together by an invisible bond. She felt his toes stretch and coil. A shiver ran down her back as his hand on her nape began to gently glide their way up to her red hair and tangle themselves in her locks. Closing her eye, she focused on feeling his soft fingertips brush back her hair from her face, tracing the outline of her impressive left ear. It flicked but not out of irritation, out of pleasure. Her ears were incredibly sensitive to touch and sound; she could hear each log burn away in the fire. It was a comforting sound, one she rarely heard in space. She could smell the scent of smoke cling to his shirt and skin. How she missed that smell...

"How long until you'll have to leave?"

It felt as if someone had grabbed her heart and gripped it too tightly. "Three weeks, maybe. Then I'll get another commission, another cargo to take to some planet too far away for my liking." She sighed, the calmness before now replaced by dread. "I'll hate it but the job must be done. I try to make it back as quickly as possible but..."

"Slow and steady wins the race." He mumbled. "And you're a perfectionist. If you want it done, it has to be done to the best standard, even if it takes longer."

"Sometimes I find it disturbing how much you understand about me." She muttered into his chest. He chuckled, making her head jolt in tiny little jumps.

"It wasn't easy at first but now, I could write a book about you." She could feel the smirk on his lips, even without looking.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't. I don't want the entire galaxy to know about my private life." She gripped his arm, running her fingers over the fabric, wishing for it gone so she could touch his fur. "It's personal."

"I know," His voice smooth as silk. "Which is precisely why I haven't."

She loved it when he was like this: smooth, calm and untroubled. He worried too much, especially when she was leaving. Every time she'd take the last look of him, he'd be frowning, his eyes shining as if he's about to cry. He was so easy to read, even if they were meters away from each other. But when they were together, safe and sound in his library, he was more confident. He stumbled and stuttered less when they both were peaceful. When she would be in a teasing mood, she would twist his words and make him blush, toy with him for her own amusement. He didn't like it, always afraid he would offend her. He rarely did. They valued their time together so much, they hardly ever argued. It was such a waste of precious time.

To his surprise, she sat up and pulled from him. He wondered where she was going, had he done something wrong. Instead of getting up and leaving, she slid higher up his body and laid down again, burying her face into the crook of his neck. The hand that was previously at her waist was now just above her curve. The hand in her hair dropped, slid between her arm and rested on her flank. She raised her hands, one on his shoulder and the other reached out and stroking his wonderful sideburns.

He looked at her, his eyes swirling with love. Never before had she felt so much positive emotion in her chest. It burned but not painfully.

"I love you." She said, gazing into her eyes. He gazed back, thankful they weren't as hard and cold as they were when they first met.

Their lips brushed together, their noses touching. They didn't notice the fire dim more as more logs gave away, collapsing under the weight of flames and scorched wood. They did not move, for ages. They allowed the fire to snuff out later on, not wanting to disturb their moment of serenity together.


	2. Apprehension

**Apprehension ~ Anxiety or Fear that something Bad or Unpleasent will happen...**

He wasn't scared.

This was a lie Doppler told himself over and over as he prepared himself. He had taken a long shower, worn his finest and cleanest clothes and combed his hair back. He smoothed out any creases in his coat or shirt, brushed back any stray hairs sticking up from his head. He wiped his glasses clean and placed then daintily on the bridge of his nose. He made sure there was nothing wrong with his appearance.

However, Doppler still felt nervous. Despite the repeating voice assuring him he wasn't scared, his stomach was still doing flips. He felt ill but he couldn't be. Not now. She'd be here any minute now.

She called the previous day, requesting to visit him. The Treasure Planet voyage had ended nearly a week ago and Doppler was trying to get back used to his large home and the feeling of still ground beneath his feet. He had been sleeping in his study (again) when his telephone started to ring. He jumped out of his skin before scrambling for his glasses and making his way over to the phone. He pressed the button and a holographic image of her materialized into the air.

"C-captain?" He gasped.

Amelia chuckled. "Hello Doctor."

"H-how did you have my number?" He stammered, still shocked to see her. He had expected never to see her again, which made him feel slightly upset. But seeing her face again made all the heavy weight from the past week lift from his shoulders.

Rolling her eyes, she laughed again. "I've still got your contact details from when you commissioned the voyage, Doctor. I didn't just delete them when I returned home."

Secretly, he didn't either. He had her number in the files on the telephone, labelled under 'Captain Smollet'. They had swapped numbers when he first commissioned the voyage in case of any trouble or delay. "I wasn't expecting y-your c-call." He stuttered. Curse his stuttering. He always did it when surprised or embarrassed.

"I know," She smiled. "I do apologise if I've interrupted you from something, you look as if you've just fallen out of bed."

He cautiously lifted a hand to his hair, which was sticking up like downy feathers on a bird. He blushed when he realised he was only wearing loose pyjamas he lounged around in during the evenings. His glasses weren't set properly straight, after all he had been in a rush to get to the phone. She was mocking him again but playfully. It seemed to be a hobby of hers, finding his mishaps amusing. She teased him constantly, making him slip on his words more. He couldn't get angry with her. She'd apologise, of course, and promise that she was only doing it for her own amusement. She didn't mean to upset him.

"I'm afraid I've called on a business matter." She sighed. "It seems you haven't sent me the commission forms."

Blinking, Doppler pondered. "The c-commission forms?"

"Yes Doctor, the thick booklet of paperwork? Sent to you in a brown envelope?" She helped him out, hoping the description would ring a bell.

It did. Doppler's stomach sunk. "Oh yes...the brown envelope."

Amelia smiled. "I need the papers by the end of the week, just to tie up some loose ends on the voyage. I was expecting them in my post but apparently, the office didn't receive them back. Do you still have them?"

Doppler turned, looking around the room. "Uh..."

Her face stiffened. "Please tell me you know where they are."

He turned away, disappearing from her view. She could hear him start rummaging around the room. "I-I'm sure I put them somewhere..."

It wasn't the first time she felt annoyed with him yet she couldn't help but sigh and shake her head. Poor Doppler. She knew he'd somehow lose them. "Please do find them," She called to him, unable to see him hurrying from between the armchair and his desk. "Those forms are vital for the documents. The navy will have my head if I don't have the paperwork done by Sunday."

The envelope wasn't by his chair. What she was saying didn't help with his panicking. She needed them and he'd lost them like the clumsy, forgetful fool he was. He cursed as he stumped his toe against the side of his desk as he skidded to a halt. He skimmed through a large pile of papers, hoping to find it buried underneath. It wasn't there so he flung open the top draw and started to pull out the many other thick files of academy paperwork and star drafts. He sighed in defeat before hurrying back to the telephone. She was still there, waiting patiently.

"I-I-I've seemed to have misshape-misplaced it somewhere." He stumbled out an apology. "I'm sure they're around here somewhere."

"I hope so too." Amelia sighed. "Do you think you could possibly find them by tomorrow?"

He pondered for a second. "Yes, I think I sh-should." Goddammit, why did was he so nervous talking to her?

"Would you mind if I swung over and picked them up, say, twelve o'clock?" She smiled.

Her eyes seemed to make him dissolve into a daze. "Of course, I should find them by then."

"Good."

"Do you need my address?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No, I've got it here." She tapped the telephone. "Mr Arrow did very good in storing your contact details." Her voice quietened, a sadness washed into her bright eyes. Her marvellous ears flattened slightly, still mourning the loss of her fine friend.

Doppler found himself uncomfortable. He didn't like it when she got that sad look on her face. It made him feel guilty, as if it was his fault Arrow was gone because he hired that damn crew. He decided to change the topic. "Should I get some tea ready? And cake?"

Her face brightened, remembering what she had said to him upon their first meeting. "The whole shebang, Doctor." Her eyes lit up again, her ears perked. The moment of mourning had passed on. "I hope those papers will be ready. I want to meet that Sunday deadline."

Doppler forged a smile and nodded, even though his stomach was sinking. He hadn't even opened the envelope they'd arrived in. "Of course, Captain. I'll see you tomorrow."

A smile grew on her face. "Goodbye Doctor."

The holographic image of her disappeared with a _bleep_. The image of her smile ghosted in his mind. He sat there, on the stool, still in awe at her perfect face. He smiled like a love-sick puppy before jumping to his feet and searching for the envelope.

He hunted them down until the early hours of mourning when he finally found the envelope embraced between two chunky astrophysics books on his mountain of novels. He frowned, wondering how it managed to slide itself between them. To his dismay, the envelope was very think. He tore it open and slid the huge booklet of forms. There was something to sign or fill in on every page. Overall, there seemed to be a thousand pages. He groaned; there was no way he could complete this by twelve o'clock.

Doppler went to bed, but did not fall asleep. He lay there, thinking. He was going to see Amelia again. But after, would he ever see her again? Doppler didn't like that thought. Back on the Legacy, he saw her every day. He got used to getting up early, heading to her stateroom for coffee and breakfast to see her already half-way through her cup of tea and with a smile on her face. The ship had never been silent. Now, he was trying to adjust to the silent mansion, living alone. He'd like to see her again, even for a few minutes. His days seemed endlessly dull without her. She'd be there with some snarky and snappy quote, a mischievous smile and an evil gleam in her eye. But not now.

When he finally fell asleep, he slept for three hours until rising again as if it was another normal morning. He rushed through his routine but made sure every detail of him was perfect. He didn't want to leave a bad impression of himself on her. He didn't want her thinking him as a slouch or 'lazy-bones' as she describe it back on the ship. He sat back down on his chair in his study, trying to get through as many possible pages as he could. He filled in his annual income, his tax payment, his insurance details and as he turned the page to any medical issues, the doorbell rang. Glancing up to the massive clock on the wall, Doppler saw both hands precisely pointing at the number twelve.

She was dead on time.

He jumped out of his chair and hurried down to greet her at the door. He flung it open to see her gripping a cheap umbrella that was crooked on one side, a thin coat over her and her hair plastered to her face. She gave him an apologetic smile. "Am I on time?"

"To the second." He replied.

She gave a thankful sigh. "The transport was cancelled for about thirty minutes. Something about a storm."

It was only when he opened the door Doppler realised it was raining. He welcomed her in and she stepped inside gratefully, shaking the umbrella out onto the doorstep, cursing it and herself as she did so. "I should've checked the weather reports. I had to buy the cheapest umbrella I could find. What is it with Montressor and rain?"

He chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his neck. Should he ask her now? He felt too nervous to do so. "Sorry about it. I would've called you and warned you but only now I realised it was raining."

Amelia rolled her eyes as she bounded the umbrella and slid it into the stand with a clang. "Did you find the envelope?"

"Yes..." He trailed off. How would she react to his forgetfulness? Would she scold him and be annoyed with him? Or would she just tut and smile, already used to his scatterbrain?

Amelia raised an eyebrow. "But?"

"But I haven't completed the forms yet." He admitted, his gut tightening. She sighed and shook her head, little droplets of water slowly falling from her hair and ears. "I've nearly completed them!"

"It's fine, Doctor." She chuckled. Half of the weight on his shoulders lifted. "As long as you complete them sometime soon. Now, you promised tea?" She gave him a teasing smile. He blinked, before backing up into the kitchen.

"O-of course! Take your coat off, make yourself comfortable!" He told her before dashing off to boil the kettle.

Amelia chuckled at his polite and shy manners. She shook her hair and wiped away the few streams of water running down her cheek. As she peeled it off, she managed to take in her surroundings.

The porch was part of a corridor with three doors, two of which were on the right hand side. The nearest one was open after the good Doctor had disappeared through. After wiping her feet on the welcome mat, Amelia stepped forward and gingerly peaked through. The floor dropped down a step to grey stone slab flooring. The kitchen worktops were made of marble, grey painted cupboards snugly lined against the left wall. Opposite them was a plain round table with three sturdy wooden table chairs snugly placed by the window. The kettle on the stove was steaming while Doppler added the tea into a porcelain mug.

He glanced up and gave her a smile. It was so strange to see her out of her usual Captain uniform. Instead, she was wearing a white blouse and a pencil skirt, dark tights and heels. She still looked business-like and he was surprised to see her wearing a skirt.

Amelia smiled back and stepped into the kitchen cautiously, looking around and taking in the grey-scale room. The kettle screeched and Doppler filled the mugs with boiling water. Amelia was watching the water droplets on the window race each other to the bottom sill when she finally heard the clang of a spoon being rested on the worktop. She turned to see Doppler holding out a steaming mug of tea. She sipped, despite the temperature. Amelia smiled in satisfaction.

"The forms are up in my study," Doppler told her. "I've only got about half way through."

"Do you need help with filling some in?" She asked, hoping to speed up the process.

"No, its fine, thank you." He led her out of the kitchen and back into the corridor. They turned right and headed through the other door on the same wall. Amelia was surprised to see a staircase immediately and carefully walked up the steps, trying not to tip her tea. The staircase led her up a floor until she came out into a large domed room.

The room was warm due to the massive fireplace, the pipe leading to the chimney barely visible. The wall were painted scarlet, with bookshelves all the way up them to the top where a metal staircase lead to a platform unseeable, possibly to that huge telescope Amelia spotted poking out of the domed ceiling as she approached Doppler's home. There were three windows, without curtains, and portraits of male and female Candids and humans. Amelia guessed they were Doppler's ancestors and relatives. Towards the top of the room, just under the platform, were painted on images of ships and planets and three Candids with telescopes, observing a distant star. A huge chandelier hung from the ceiling The floor beneath Amelia's feet was wooden, patterned in squares, and various rugs were hidden under piles and piles of books and scrolls. There was a grand piano and a cello but Amelia never thought Doppler as the musical kind. Maps were pinned to the walls, scrolls and book carelessly flung onto shelves and onto the floor. A single arm chair sat next to the fire. A low, red French sofa was pushed against a far window. Chemistry flasks and tubes were lined up upon a mountain of books.

"Sorry about the mess," Doppler apologised sheepishly as he hurried over to the easy armchair. "I've been meaning to finish cleaning."

"Finish?" Amelia gasped. Her eye caught something peculiar sitting in a glass at the top of the mountain of novels. "Is that a _toothbrush_ up there?"

Doppler also caught sight of his toothbrush and coughed nervously. "Ah, yes, well, um, yes t-that is my, um, t-toothbrush."

A grin threatened to make an appearance on Amelia's face. "At the top of Mount Thesaurus?"

He pursed his lips at her gag aimed at his large pile of books but pulled a shy smile. "Yes."

"How do you get up there?" She questioned.

"I climb." He replied. "I-uh- I surf my way back down."

Her laugh was merry, amused at the image of the bashful Doctor Doppler riding an encyclopaedia down the steep slope of books. She gave him a warm smile to which he returned before blushing crimson and adverting his eyes. She wondered if it was him merely being shy but Amelia was unaware of the twists and knots Doppler's stomach was forming.

Doppler coughed anxiously. "I, uh, would invite you sit down but..."

He trailed off when the only other seat was the sofa meters away from him and against the wall. She smiled and flicked her wrist. "Never mind, I'll just have a nose around, if you don't mind?"

It took him too long to realise she was asking for his permission. "Oh-ah, of course! Yes, pose ar- nose around, if you wish."

She smiled at him, amused at his little stumbles and stutters. Even though she found it cute (though she wouldn't admit it), Doppler mentally cursed himself every time his tongue slipped or his vocal chords trembled. His mind blankened every time she smiled at him. He dropped his eyes and rushed through the paperwork, trying to think of something to say to her. Amelia wandered around the room, staring up at the painted images on the ceilings. Sipping her tea, she made her way over to the low sofa, sat on it and peeked out the window. The view was lovely; she could see the road leading down to the little town nearby. If she turned her head, Amelia could also see the drop down to the canyons.

"You have a lovely home." She complimented.

Doppler perked up, scanning his brain for something to reply with. "Th-thank you. It was my parent's."

"Is that them?" She asked. Doppler glanced to the portrait of two middle-aged Candids, dressed in amber and burgundy coloured clothes, that she was indicating to. The woman's blonde hair was pinned into a high bun; the man sported a huge imperial moustache.

"Yes, that's them."

A small smile formed on Amelia's scarlet lips. "You look like your mother." She softly. "But you have your father's eyes and hair."

"Uh...thank you?" He replied as he pulled out a pen and ticked the_ None_ box about any mental disabilities. He was about to fill in about his allergy to Penicillin, he heard her approach the back of his chair and glance over his shoulder. His heart-pace quickened. Should he ask her? What if she refused and laughed at him? What if she felt awkward and left, never to call him again?

"Do you need any help?" She asked. "Half of the questions are unclear. I blame the lack of English education on the Form Designers. Maybe they should learn how to write questions properly before getting the bloody job."

He tries not smile at her frustration. "No thank you," He turns down her offer of aid. "I think I can understand it."

She nods and makes her way over to the piano and cello, eyeing them carefully. There was no dust on them, so they had either been used or cleaned. "You never told me you are a musician, Doctor."

"I, uh, it's only a hobby." He retorted. "My mother taught me the piano and I had a tutor for the cello."

She glanced at the music books scattered upon the piano and took in the names: Mozart, Bach, Beethoven. An eyebrow raised; he was a professional. Amelia turned from the instruments, resisting the temptation to start playing her one of her favourite piano sonatas. Her attention swiftly fell onto the titles of the many novels piled against the walls. They were adventure novels mostly, some about astrophysics and others about brave heroes sailing across the Etherium to venture into the unknown. Her heart lifted when she spotted a few collections of poetry.

Amelia wandered around the room, sipping her tea and staring at unusual objects scattered around her. She picked up a book or two and started skimming through the pages, reading one for twenty minutes straight until she set it back onto the shelf. A tiny clock told her the time; she blinked sharply when she worked out she had been there for nearly two hours.

"Finished!" Doppler declared. Amelia turned and grinned at him. His hair was messy after he had ran his fingers through it constantly. His warm eyes shone triumphantly. "I hope I didn't keep you for too long."

"No, no," She claimed as she strode towards Doppler. He slid the forms back into its brown envelope. "Thank you."

"I'm glad they're finally done."

Amelia chuckled. "Well, at least it's over for you. I've got a humongous pile of paperwork waiting for me at home."

"Cargo details?" He guessed. "Insurance forms?"

"Death registration forms." She answered softly. An awkward silence fell over the two. The apprehension in Doppler's stomach was getting worse. "I'd better be leaving." Amelia sighed.

"Oh."

She paused at the disappointment in his voice. She gave him a questionable look. He caught it and gathered all the courage he could muster. He drew a breath; it was now or never.

"It's just, I was thinking -well, wondering- if you'd like to, well there's lots of nice, ah, coffee shops and such around town, and I was-"

"Doctor, please stop before you cause yourself to have a panic attack." Amelia interrupted with a growing smirk. Her eyes glittered with amusement. Doppler's fear grew. "Are you trying to ask me to coffee?"

"Uh..."

"Because if you are, I would be delighted to accept."

Everything came to a halt. _She would what?_

"P-p-p-pardon?"

A grin grew on Amelia's face. "I said I would be delighted to accept your invitation to coffee."

Doppler couldn't believe his luck! After all that worry and fear that she'd laugh at him, never want to see him again, refuse him, embarrass him, she _accepted_! All the apprehension lifted from his shoulders, the tightening in his chest loosened. The knots in his gut unravelled. His stomach stopped doing nervous flips and stayed still. Instead, his heart swelled and quickened.

"W-would you?" He needed to check twice. He couldn't believe his ears.

Her laugh sounded like light bells. "Yes, Doctor, I would. After an eventful week like this, I could do with sitting down with a friend, a slice of cake and a cup of tea."

He suddenly felt guilty. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to talk to you much."

She waved it away like condensation on a window pane. "It's perfectly understandable. You've been busy on the paperwork. Besides, it means more for us to talk about...say, next Monday?"

Nothing was planned for Monday; he was free. "Sure, Monday it is. Meet here at, twelve o'clock again?"

Amelia nodded. "I look forward to it."

With the envelope in her clutches, Amelia allowed him to lead her back to the front door. Her coat was much dryer now when she pulled it back over her blouse and arms, tucking the envelope against her chest. As she finished buttoning it up, she grabbed her cheap umbrella and Doppler opened the door for her. The rain had lightened up but never less, it was still raining. Before braving the horrendous weather, she gave Doppler a smile.

"I'll see on Monday." She said. Then, to Doppler's surprise (and to his glee), Amelia leaned on the tips of her toes and pecked his cheek. With a wink, she shot off into the rain, dodging puddles and running as fast as her heels would carry her.

Dazed, Doppler subconsciously waved gently and stared at her. He then smiled broadly, wondering why he was so apprehensive to ask her after all.


	3. Annoyance

**Annoyance ~ To Irritate or make someone a little Angry**

He was late. _Again._

Amelia sighed as the minute hand ticked past eight o'clock. Her gloved hands were neatly folded and rested on her desk, she sat up straight and alert. Her ears twitched at every passing minute and with it, her irritation grew. By now, they could have gotten the formalities over with and gone straight to business. She needed the detailed course for the next few days and if she could do it by herself, she would. However, Amelia was not a navigator. She had a rough estimate on where she was going and how long it would take but not the complete details.

They rested with the noted astrophysicist, Doctor Delbert Doppler who had a habit of being behind schedule.

Nothing irritated Amelia more than being behind schedule. Being the head authority of the voyage, she was expected to be punctual. To not be would ruin her reputation of being a trusted person with time. Time was her best friend but it, apparently, had not met the good Doctor yet.

Seven minutes ticked by. Amelia pursed her lips tightly. By now, they would have started plotting the course. They would be working out the quickest and safest routes. Then they'd calculate bearings and degrees and measurements before converting them into time and then comparing them with the energy levels of her ship and their food and water supplies. If possible, they'd work out another route if the previous one was not to Amelia's satisfaction and finally, a safety route in case anything happened on their prime path.

The minute hand of Amelia's clock ticked to thirteen minutes past when there was a gentle knock at her door.

_Finally._

"Enter." Amelia called sternly. She pulled the most displeased face she could pull as the door cracked open and the good Doctor gingerly poked his head through. He visibly gulped at Amelia's face before slipping through the door fully.

"G-g-good morning, Captain." He stumbled, shifting from foot to foot.

"Is it?" Amelia questioned acidly. "I hadn't noticed."

Doppler bit his tongue. "I-uh- I apologise for being late-"

"By thirteen whole minutes, Doctor." She interrupted. Doppler bit his tongue harder to stop him from saying anything he'd regret; he was apologising nicely and she was cutting him off. "This is not...appropriate."

"I understand-"

"Please make an effort not to be late again." She said coldly.

"I do but-"

"No excuses Doctor." Once again, she interrupted him. He sighed silently, frustrated. They were conflicting again. The only thing they did since the voyage began was argue. While Doppler had attempting to get into the routine of getting up early, she would scold him for not being on time. It wasn't _his_ fault. The alarm clock didn't go off on time and he couldn't find his shoes then he buttoned up his shirt wrong and-

"Please sit down Doctor."

Doppler did as he was told. A seat next to her was already ready, waiting for him. He sat down and placed the scrolled maps he owned onto the desk. As he did so, Amelia got up and headed towards a refreshment counter in the corner of the room.

"Coffee?" She asked. He nodded. "A more solid answer please, Doctor."

"Yes please," He replied meekly. This woman annoyed him so much. She was so...bossy. Of course, he understood that _she_ was the Captain of the ship and wanted complete respect and he gave that respect to her. Apparently, it wasn't enough. So was so cold and stern, it made him nervous. He'd seen her smile and be playful to Mr Arrow but he had a much stronger relationship with her than him. Maybe it took someone close for her to be kind to.

The kettle boilt and Amelia struggled not to be so harsh on the poor Doctor. She couldn't remember the last time she had bit someone's head off so hard just for being late for a meeting but then again, she couldn't remember the last time someone annoyed her this much. He lacked an understanding of reality and common sense. Everyone knew that if you had found a possible map to one of the largest and most famous loot of gold ever, you wouldn't go skipping around the deck practically blaring about it to a crew Amelia didn't trust. That was another thing too. It took once glance at the crew to realise they were lying idiots. The documents said they were an 'upstanding crew'. Nonsense! How could an academically intelligent man like the good Doctor fall for that rubbish?

Amelia angrily placed the metal spoon back onto counter before picking up the mug of fresh coffee and taking it over to Doppler. She placed it on a coaster in front of him.

"Thank you." He said as he took it gratefully in his hands.

Pursing her lips, Amelia sat back down in her seat. "Seeing as we're already behind schedule, we'll have to crack on."

Doppler unrolled one of the scrolls to reveal a large sheet of paper with various images of stars, planets and nebulas scattered around it. "When we pass Magellanic Cloud-"

"Which will be tomorrow evening." Amelia added.

For a second, Doppler was distracted. He had lost his train of thought. He gritted his teeth irritantly. "Yes, I've worked out the fastest course would be to head North East, at a degree of 0097, and head towards the Coral Galaxy before turning back to 0000 and head North. However, during the summer season, the Galactic Athozonian Whales are migrating towards Delta Minor so it looks like the fastest path is cut off."

Amelia sighed, her bad mood increasing. "So we're going to have to take the long way and add a few more days to the voyage or be rammed to death by gigantic whales?"

"Basically yes."

Today was not going so well. Amelia massaged the bridge of her nose and took a sip of tea. "So, what's the next best option?"

"To increase the Legacy's power and have her increase altitude to over pass the Whales' migration path. They fly above the asteroid field. If it weren't for the Whales we could fly over the asteroid field no problem but because they fly above, they're in our way. We'll just have follow their example and fly higher."

"Does the Legacy have enough power to do so?"

"I checked; more than enough." Doppler replied confidently.

Amelia sighed thankfully. "Good. So, the original path is fine. Do you have the calculations?"

"Yes," Doppler said as he tapped a tiny notebook upon a small pile of other books.

"So, when do we start to gain altitude?"

"I've done the calculations; we should start to gain altitude around the same time we turn North East at out two watts per hour. By the time we get to the migration path, we should be well above the Whales and high enough to be out of the way of any strays too."

He had already done the calculations. Amelia frowned. "You've already done the calculations?"

Doppler blushed slightly and advert his gaze. "Yes, well, I thought I'd be late again so I-I took the liberty and did most of the calculations for the first path just in case. To save time." He muttered. "I thought you'd be mad if I turned up late again so I did them t-to save time."

"I'm not mad." Amelia replied softly. "More like irritated. Frustrated. Annoyed. I'd expect you to be on time, Doctor."

"I am sorry," He apologised whole heartedly. "I don't purposely mean to be late."

"I understand but you can't make the same mistake next time." Amelia warned. "I expect you to be on time Doctor otherwise my schedule will fall behind as well and then that will affect my reputation. The Navy do not like my rank as Captain and they will pick on anything they find negative about me to try and bring my career down. To lack punctuality would only give them the satisfaction. I do not want to give them that satisfaction and therefore, you_ will_ be on time on our next meeting. Understand?"

Doppler sighed, clearly annoyed with her. It wasn't_ his_ fault the Navy wanted her gone and he was sure a little lateness wouldn't bring her whole career crashing down on her. Why did she blame him for the Navy's displeasure in her job? He Hadn't done anything wrong! "Yes ma'am." Doppler replied grudgingly.

Amelia's face was as still as stone, her eyes ice cold. "Good," She retorted sternly. Her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall before back to the good Doctor. "Now, if you'd excuse me but I have an inspection to run."

"B-but the safety route-"

"Will be done by myself in my free time." Amelia's nostrils flared as she got up, walked past Doppler and turned back to him. "If you hadn't been so late we probably would have already done it by now."

Doppler's cheeks burned as Amelia's sharp stare pierced him. If looks could kill, he surely would be dead. However, Doppler didn't allow himself to feel guilty. He was only a litte late; it wasn't worth biting his head off for.

Placing her hat on her head, Amelia stormed to the door, unlocked it and swung it open. "Good day to you, Doctor." She said bitterly before leaving, slamming the door and leaving a cold cup of tea and a severely annoyed Doctor Doppler behind.


	4. Grief

**Grief ~ Deep Sorrow caused by someone's death**

Amelia never cried. She had broken bones and somehow kept the tears in. Even when she left home for the Academy, she didn't weep. She promised herself never to cry but she came painfully close to doing so when her best friend died.

"Mr. Arrow was," Her voice faltered as she made a speech to her best friend's memory. Her eyes stung as tears threatened to appear. Amelia screwed her eyes and coughed to fight the lump forming in her throat. "A fine spacer. Finer than most of us...would ever hope to be."

It was true. Ever since her brutal and harsh training at the Academy and in the Navy, she always wanted to be like him. He was the best but as she grew older and wiser, Amelia realised that she would never become as great as he was. He was too brilliant. Brave, wise and loyal. She really did mean those words she described him with back at the beginning of the voyage. He was everything to her...

"But he knew the risks, as do we all. Resume your posts; we carry on."

Could she? Could she really carry on without him?

Turning, Amelia made her way up the steps. Her footsteps were too loud. There was too much air behind her. The long walk from the place she stood to the privacy of her stateroom seemed treacherous. The lump in her throat was not going away. Her eyes screwed tightly as the tears formed again. Her head kept low and her ears flat against her head, Amelia pulled herself together. Drawing a deep breath, she turned and took the first step towards her stateroom.

"Captain?"

Mid step, she froze. Her ears perked up. Amelia dared to lift her heavy eyes from the floor to the sympathised face of Doctor Doppler. His eyes shone sadly and his brow was wrinkled with worry.

"I'm sorry for your loss," He muttered quietly and softly. His hand was reached out, as if it had automatically gone to pat her shoulder but hesitated half way. "I can only imagine the pain you're in."

Amelia opened her mouth to say something. Maybe a thank you for he seemed to be the only one to spare a thought for her. Maybe to give him a snappy remark to leave her alone. But nothing came out but a strangled cry. Not only had she lost her best friend, she had lost her voice. Her confidence. Defeated, Amelia closed her mouth, adverted her gaze and walked on. Doppler moved to reach for her again and speak but at the sight of her bowed head and slumped shoulders, he paused and decided it would be best for her to have a few moments alone.

The door closed quietly behind her. Amelia's mood did not improve when she saw the shards of glass scattered around the floor, on her desk and seat. With a sigh, she leaned against the door and glanced at the tricorn hat in her hands. It was worn and battered, reflecting the years it had been worn proudly by him. It held so many memories. He wore it nearly all the time they were together. He tipped it to her frequently with a playful smirk. She would never see that smirk again.

Carefully making her way to her desk, Amelia brushed the glass from her seat and sat down, not bothering to adjust it. A quick flick of a switch under her desk brought the overhead lamp alight. She clutched the hat tightly and curled around it. She brought her legs up and bowed her head, hiding from the world as she coiled into a ball. She closed her eyes as her hair tumbled over her face. The cold air that seeped through the broken windows made a chill run down her spine. She still refused to cry. She had already lost her best friend, she couldn't lose her reputation. He wouldn't want her to cry.

She stayed like that for what seemed forever, trying her best to fight away her emotions from surfacing. Even when no one was around, she still felt as if people were staring at her, expecting her to break. They would feel disgusted with her. She did: Arrow had saved her life once and she didn't even bother to save his.

After a while, when the lump had gone and her breathing calmed, Amelia sat up properly with her feet on the ground. All the time she took to build herself back up, it took one glance at the hat to bring it all back crashing down.

He was gone.

She was broken.

She was lost.

He was gone and it was _all her fault._

So many emotions swirled in Amelia. She had lost her only friend, her only family. It was her fault; she had left the incapable child of securing the lifelines. How could he leave her alone? Why did he have to go?

With an angry cry, Amelia swiped her desk clean with one furious swing of her arm. They landed on the floor with a symphony of crashing and shattering sounds. The shards of glass were sharper than they looked. They cut easily through the fabric of her coat and sliced her skin. She cursed as tiny droplets of blood seeped through. Yet the pain of the tiny wounds was nothing compared the huge pain in her broken heart. Her breath was uneven and taken in little gasps. She leaned back into her seat, closing her eyes in pain. Her eyes stung. Her chest hurt. Her throat hurt. Everything hurt.

There was a shy knock at the door.

Amelia jumped up, startled. There was only one person who knocked so timidly. Quickly, Amelia pulled herself together. She brushed back her hair and straightened her uniform. A quick glance in the glass map on the wall just to check there were no obvious signs she was about to cry. Amelia cleared her throat before calmly calling Doppler in. "Enter."

The door creaked open a crack. Doppler slid through, closed the door behind him before cautiously approaching Amelia.

"Doctor," Amelia started. "May I help you?"

"I-I just came to see if you were okay a-" He paused suddenly. His eyes fell onto her left arm. "You're bleeding."

Confused, Amelia glanced down to the wounds on her arm. It had bled a lot more since she cut them on accident. "It's nothing, Doctor."

Doppler gave her a sceptical look. His eyes fell to the mess around her before back to her, carefully examining her face. "Let me patch it up."

"There's no need," She replied sternly. "And I preferred it if you left me alone."

"If you let me patch it I will leave." He bargained. Amelia felt in no mood to argue. She was too exhausted to fight back. Arrow wasn't here to punch him for her. Her confidence was lost with him. Wordlessly, Amelia sank back into her chair and took a long sad glance at the hat. Closing her eyes, she bit her lip to stop it from quivering.

Doppler turned and headed to the cabinet where Amelia stored her tea. He opened one of the drawers and pulled out a small First Aid Kit before closing it and heading back to the desk, pulling his usual chair behind him. He sat next to her and motioned for her to give him her injured arm. Amelia hesitated before peeling off her glove and rolled up her sleeve. Out from the First Aid Kit, Doppler pulled out a few antiseptic wipes and cleaned the wound. It was still bleeding slightly but not as much as before. It stung slightly but Amelia didn't care. Her heart was in more pain. Doppler squeezed her arm slightly, his touch gentle and warm, while bandaging it quickly. He secured it easily.

"Leave it like this until morning. If it keeps bleeding, call me. We might have to get a proper doctor." He told her while packing the kit away.

Amelia nodded and pulled her arm away from him. She curled inwards, not facing him. "Thank you." She said stiffly.

He looked at her worriedly. "Captain," He spoke softly. "About Arrow."

"I don't want to talk about it." She retorted sharply.

"It won't go away easy unless you d-"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" Silence fell after Amelia's annoyed yell. She glared at the man who helped her before her ears fell and she glanced away, taking in a shaky breath. Doppler got up and headed back to the cabinet to put the kit away. Amelia hoped that he would leave but instead, he turned the kettle on. As it boiled, he bent down into another draw and pulled out a dustpan and brush. Amelia looked at him, bewildered. "What are you doing?"

"Well, if you're not going to talk about it, the least I can do is be helpful in some way." He replied as he began clearing the glass shards from the ground. He collected a huge pile near her feet before picking up her divider and delicately placed them on her desk. "And if clearing up this mess and making you a cup of tea will help you, then I will do it."

"It won't help." She said bluntly.

"It will save you having to do it later." He replied. "You're grieving. You shouldn't be cleaning."

Amelia didn't reply. Instead, she watched Doppler gather every last shard of glass before flinging them out of the broken windows. The kettle screeched as it boiled. Doppler hurried over and quickly made her a cup of tea. No sugar (it wasn't healthy), a fair amount of milk (a feline side of her). He brought it over to her before sitting back onto his seat.

Tea was good. Amelia sipped it before placing the cup down in dissatisfaction. "It's not strong enough." She complained bitterly.

"Too much milk?"

"No," She muttered. Amelia pulled out the key to the far cabinet, the same one where her collection of fire arms and the Treasure Planet map was stored. "There should be a bottle of brandy in the cupboard-"

"I don't think it's wise for you to be drinking in this state." Doppler interrupted as he shook his head fiercely. Not even the sight of his ears flapping wildly around his head could make Amelia smile.

"I need something strong," She stubbornly claimed. "I don't think I'll sleep tonight."

His mind changed like the flick of a switch. Willingly, Doppler headed over to the cabinet and pulled out a large bottle of strong brandy. He walked back over and poured a tiny amount of the amber drink into Amelia's cup.

"A little more." She ordered. He did so, and again. As he capped the bottle, Amelia took a large gulp. The liquid burned as it flowed down her throat. It felt good. She took another gulp before taking in another shaky breath and setting the cup down. She sighed, leaned back and closed her eyes. Once the pain of hot water and strong alcohol died quickly, Amelia opened her eyes lazily. He was staring at her, visibly worried. "You're still here?"

He nodded. "I am."

"Please leave." She asked politely. To her surprise, he didn't move. He ignored her order. He, the skittish and shy Doctor Doppler,_ ignored_ her direct order. Amelia's ears perked up dangerously. "Doctor, that was an order."

"I know it was," He replied softly. "But I think you shouldn't be left alone right now."

Anger boiled in Amelia's gut. She took in a sharp breath and glared at Doppler. "What makes you think I'm incapable of being left alone, you daft idiot?" She snapped. Amelia instantly felt guiltily as Doppler visibly flinched at her harsh words.

"I did leave you alone, for thirty minutes, and you were bleeding." He retorted. "I don't want you to hurt yourself."

Amelia's ears flattened slightly. His eyes were filled with care. "Why do you care?" She sneered. "Nobody cares, they never did! Arrow was the _only_ one who did and now he's..."

_Dead._

The final word refused to be spoken. It choked in Amelia's throat and she sobbed. Instantly, she slammed her hand over her mouth, screwed up her eyes and turned away from Doppler. _Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry. _Her hands trembled slightly. Her chest tightened. Taking deep breaths, Amelia quickly calmed herself down. She massaged the bridge of her nose in an attempt to chase away the on-coming headache before turning back to Doppler. Before she could order him to leave, he asked her a questioned.

"Why don't you cry?"

He sounded so innocent, like a wondering child. He had the eyes for one: huge and wide. Amelia frowned at him.

"I can't," She replied sharply. "I'm not weak."

Doppler almost laughed. "Crying is not a sign of weakness."

"It's is." She said stubbornly. "Arrow never cried and he is...was...the strongest man I ever knew."

"I'm sure he was strong but maybe, if your roles were reversed, he would cry too." Doppler shifted forward, cautious that she'd lash out. "It's not healthy for you to bottle up your emotions. You're grieving."

"Just go." She whimpered. His words were actually getting to her; the tears were coming back again. She felt reluctant to fight them. "Leave me alone!"

He remained seated.

She was too tired to force him to leave. Her throat ached so much. Her eyes stung and her lids were too heavy. She leaned back into the chair, curled up tightly and buried her head in a final attempt not to cry. She couldn't fall apart, not in front of him, not without Arrow here to help pick her up. Her heart was broken in two, her soul shattered. Her vision was blurred and colourless; nothing but black, white and greys merged together. His skin was grey, his eyes pure black. He was made of rock, he was _her_ rock. Whenever she needed him, he would help. He brought her tea, quit the Navy for her. He stood by her through thick and thin. He saved her life and she couldn't save his. No, she _could_ have saved him but she _didn't_. If it wasn't for _her_, he'd still be here. It should have been _her_ who fell into the black abyss, not _him_. But now, it was too late. He was dead and she was still alive.

Then the first tear fell.

Amelia didn't allow it to fall. It snuck through her closed lids and snaked its way down her cheek. She gave a muffled gasp, feeling it moisten her hot cheeks. Then another fell, and another. Years of bottled-up pain and anger were released in the minuscule form of tears. She couldn't hold it in anymore. She sobbed audibly as streams of tears formed down her face. Her fragile body shook with each sorrowful gasp.

Just like that, she fell apart.

Curled up, hiding her head. She couldn't bring herself to look at Doppler. The embarrassment of crying in front of him was too huge. She buried her face into her arms, her teeth bared as the pain in her heart swelled. Her gut twisted and throat was in agony as she bawled. She felt like a child, degraded and broken. She would never forgive herself for breaking down in front of a stranger. The pain was too much, yet alone the humiliation of crying in front of someone she barely knew. Why did it have to hurt so much? Why couldn't she have just held it in? Why couldn't he just _leave her alone?_

Amelia heard a sniff. Ears perked, she glimpsed through her curtain of fiery locks. To her surprise, Doppler was shedding a tear of his own.

"Why are_ you_ crying?" She croaked.

Doppler wiped away the tear. "I'm emotional. I can't help it."

Her heart swelled. The pain died a little as the contained grief finally flowed from her body in the form of tears. She hugged her knees closely as with each passing minute, the tears soon lessened and her breathing calmed. Wiping away the few tears left, Amelia glanced at the clock. She had spent the previous forty minutes crying.

He didn't leave her. He sat in his seat, debating whether or not to reach out and comfortly hold her or pat her arm. She'd probably slap him but her facade of being the strong and stern Captain Amelia faded with each tear. She looked so fragile, like glass. If he touched her she would surely shatter. He wanted to help but would she allow him to? Whenever Sarah was upset he'd always offer an ear and rest his hand on her shoulder. He felt as if he needed to do the same to her but Amelia was so much harsher than the gentle Sarah, and this was much more than a bad day. She had lost someone close to her.

Each time she sobbed, it felt as if someone had stabbed Doppler in the heart. They didn't have a very positive relationship before yet he hated seeing her like this. It wasn't...normal. He was so used to seeing her as the confident, bold and proud Captain Amelia. Now, she was heart-broken. She had shadows in her eyes. She wasn't as confident as before. It was as if half of her had vanished into thin air, leaving behind a broken form.

Amelia sat up straight in her seat, clearing her eyes of the final tears. She blinked in surprise as Doppler offered her a white handkerchief silently. She took it gratefully.

"Thank you."

"You need it." Doppler replied.

"Not only for this," She said, holding up the handkerchief. "Thank you for making sure I was alright. And I'm sorry. It's inappropriate for me to...behave like this in front of my employer. I shouldn't have..."

She trailed off as he shook his head fiercely. "No, it's perfectly fine. You shouldn't apologize. I'm glad I could help in some way.

Her heart warmed. "Again, thank you. Not many people would do that much for me."

He blinked, unsure how to answer. All he did was bandage a wound, clean the area of the broken glass and make her a cup of tea. Of course, in her state, it would mean a lot more to her. Doppler shifted towards her again, looking straight into her blood-shot eyes. It pained him to see her so upset but it was better than watching her fight her emotions. "Look, I'm no psychologist, but I-I don't think you should..._not_ talk about this."

Amelia frowned at him questioningly. He sighed and fidgeted in his seat.

"Wh-what I mean is, if you need someone t-to talk to, I'll be happy to lend an ear." He concluded. His gaze adverted, Doppler stood up and turned to leave. Amelia blinked, shocked at his proposal. "I-I should going, leave you have s-some time to yourself."

In a flash, he was at the door with his hand ready to open it and vanish into the darkness outside.

"Doctor..."

He froze. His ear twitched. He glanced back to the desk. She sat in her seat, hunched over slightly. She looked so small and delicate, her eyes shadowed and sorrowful. "Y-yes?"

"I do want to talk about it." She muttered. "Please stay."

Nearly an hour ago, she was demanding him to leave and refused to speak about the incident with Arrow. Now she was requesting him to stay with her and talk. The contrast made his eyebrows raise. It seemed forty minutes of crying did more good than he expected. Never less, this hand fell from the handle and tucked itself into his coat pocket. He made his way back to his chair and sat down, not taking his eyes off her.

"Did it help?" He asked. "Crying?"

She remained unfazed for a few seconds before nodding. "It feels like a lot of weight has been taken off my shoulders."

"But the pain is still there." He muttered, looking at her sadly. "I can only imagine how devastated you feel."

Breathing shakily, Amelia swallowed. "You have no idea how painful this is."

"I know you and Arrow were close."

"He was my best friend." She replied. Her eyes began to tear up again. "My only family. He's done so much for me..." A tear fell from her eye and Amelia wiped it away immediately. "The Navy wasn't keen on taking me on but...Arrow, he convinced them. They didn't like it but they trusted him. He saved my life once, back in the battles with the Procyon Armada. On our way in, we...we got ambushed by one of their ships. One of them managed to knock me down but before they could shoot, Arrow flung him to the other side of the ship."

For a second, she smiled at the memory and stared at the hat on her desk. "That look on the Procyon's face...he couldn't believe it. Grabbed from behind and screamed as he went. I could never thank Arrow enough. And then, the Navy wanted me out. I had disobeyed orders by taking a group back in to rescue a few friends of mine. We managed to get out alright but...it was an enough excuse to sign me off. Arrow came with me. He was furious; I was being punished for saving lives. He left and we started taking commissions for trading, escorting and shipping. He stuck with me through it all and...I didn't save him."

Doppler frowned and leaned towards her. "It wasn't your fault."

"It was," She sighed. "I shouldn't have left Mr Hawkins with such a large job."

"If it wasn't for you, we'd all be in that black hole right now." Doppler told her firmly.

Her eyes lifted to his. "I couldn't have done it alone."

The words warmed Doppler's heart and a small smile appeared on his face. Her praise to him back on the bridge was the first compliment she'd given him since they first met. He felt like he deserved it, after trying to get into her good books since the beginning of the voyage. Three months and he got a compliment. Hopefully, by the end of the voyage, he'd get a smile from her instead of a scowl.

Before he could say something, the clock on the wall chimed. Doppler jumped before frowning. "It's getting late."

Amelia's eyes joined him in staring at the clock. "So it is...you should be getting some sleep Doctor. After the events from earlier, I suppose you're as exhausted as I am."

"I, uh, okay," Doppler stuttered as he got to his feet. "What about you? Shouldn't you be getting some sleep to? Are you feeling okay?"

"I feel terrible, Doctor." Amelia replied with a sigh. "I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight. Besides, I have the windows to fix."

They both turned to face the broken windows. No panel managed to escape the waves. Cold air seeped through them. In the dark sky, faint stars resembled sparkling diamonds scattered across dark velvet. There were patches of blue or purple clouds made of water crystals floating aimlessly. Dark nebulas were vaguely visible.

"Do you need some help with it?"

"No, no," She claimed as she got to her feet and straightened her uniform. "I can manage it, thank you."

They stood in awkward silence for a few seconds before Doppler cleared his throat and smiled at her. "Well then, I'd better be off." He said. "Take care of yourself and again, I am sorry about Arrow."

Amelia's ears flattened against her head, her chest once again tightening. "Yes, and Doctor," Then, to Doppler's surprise, she reached out and squeezed his arm. "Thank you."

"My pleasure, Captain." He replied to her. Her arm dropped and he backed up to the door. "See you in the morning!" He told her before opening in the door and, without his eyes leaving hers, walked through the threshold. However, as this was Doppler and he wasn't looking to where he was going, his shoulder rammed into the wall as he left.

"Ow, ow!" He cursed. "That hurt, that hurt!"

He was gone before he could catch the silent chuckle escape Amelia's lips, closing the door behind him. Her heart fell as she glanced down at the hat on her desk. She picked it up and with a sigh, hugged it close to her chest as it was the only part of him she had left. She desperately wanted to see him again, especially his smile. But he was gone and it was going to take her a while to finally remember him without starting to cry. Amelia didn't feel alone. After all, the good Doctor had offered his shoulder for her to cry upon. She never expected him to be so friendly and caring. Dull? Yes. Pompous? Probably. But he was the one who came to her to offer his condolences. Nobody else did.

She felt as if she was in safe hands. He would help her get through the upcoming dark days.

Amelia turned to stare out of the window. The cold air chilled her flushed cheeks. She gazed up at two of the passing moons of Pelsinar. They casted a silver glow across the ship and her stateroom. She could have sworn she saw his eyes reflect in those moons, how bright they glittered whenever he was amused or just plain old joyful. She would never see those eyes again. Clutching the hat tightly, Amelia gazed up at the luminous moons and spoke with a heart full of sorrow and grief.

"Goodbye, my friend."


	5. Excitement

**Excitement ~ A great feeling of Enthusiasm and Eagerness**

_Today was the day._

Doctor Delbert Doppler had not felt as exhilarated in his twenty-nine years of existence. After many weeks of planning and preparation, today had finally come. Not even the drizzling rain could dampen his soaring spirits. He left his bedroom with a spring in his step and a smile on his face. Of course, he felt nervous as well but it was _the_ day! How could he possibly feel a negative emotion?

He was getting_ married_!

He was getting married _to her_, the most beautiful and valiant woman he's ever met!

Sometimes, Doppler would simply gaze at her and wonder how he got so lucky. He never had any luck with women, he got so flustered talking to them especially when they were attractive. They weren't interested in a dork like him. For some of them, their interest perked when they discovered he was a _rich_ dork but he had no time for gold diggers. He wasn't even looking for love, yet alone in women after his abundant wealth.

He knew Amelia was aware he wasn't exactly lacking in money. After all, financing the whole voyage was not cheap. She didn't really care; she clearly hated him during the first few months of their acquaintanceship. It wasn't until the unfortunate passing of Mr Arrow she began to warm up to him. Her annoyed sighs when he stuttered through a sentence soon turned to a simple roll of her eyes and then to a quick amused gasp before finally transforming into a chuckle. She became less cold and untouchable to giving him a warm smile and a faint glitter in her eyes. The shadows that were there after Mr Arrow's death vanished after two weeks of grieving and became simply vacant. Later, the vacancy was replaced by a warm spark.

By the time they had crash-landed onto Treasure Planet, they had become 'good friends' and afterwards, began to find their feet on their newly-sprung relationship. It grew and grew yet she didn't leave. After all the time spent miles away from each other, Amelia remained with him and returned to him just as loving as ever. It surprised him; he had expected her to get bored with him or decide the long distances were too much stress for her to handle.

Yet she stayed.

She kept hold of him, putting more and more passion into their kisses and moulded into his embraces perfectly.

It took him over a full year to finally 'pop the question'. Despite all his fear, she said yes. It took them six months to finally have a cleared schedule and to plan everything. There weren't many guests; Doppler didn't have many friends nor any family members left. Amelia of course had a few friends from the Navy and had lost touch with her parents and siblings.

Doppler stared into the mirror, his fingers twitching with excitement. He was dressed in a dark, plain suit with a silver waistcoat and an azure tie. Although blue wasn't his favourite colour, he knew it was Amelia's. The colour themes were silver and blue and he had guessed she would be wearing something that would be blue too. It was Sarah's idea to wear something to match with her.

There was a light knock at the door and it creaked open. A pair of laser blue eyes peeped through before the entire head, and soon the body, slipped through.

"Hello Jim." Doppler welcomed.

Jim Hawkins gave Doppler a grin. "Hey Doc," He greeted before slipping his hands into the pockets of his own suit. "You ready?"

His stomach did a flip. Doppler nodded eagerly, his spectacles shivering at the bridge of his nose. Jim's grin widened and he motioned to the door. "Mom said the Captain should be here in...ten minutes?"

_Ten minutes?_

It all seemed to be swarming before his eyes now. Surely not only an hour ago he woke up in the hotel room? No, apparently, that was four hours ago. Hadn't he only been standing here for ten minutes? One glance at the clock told him that it was, in fact, forty minutes instead.

"Ten minutes..." He muttered.

In around an hour, he would be married. Captain Amelia Smollet would become Captain Amelia _Doppler._ She would be his wife. They would be married. Finally. Officially.

_Married._

"Doc?" Jim waved his hand before Doppler's eyes. The Canid flinched slightly before beaming brighter than a star. "Ready?"

"Oh-ah, of course!" Doppler squeaked and took two long strides to reach the door.

He opened it and hurried down the hall, waiting at the end for Jim to catch up. The teenager laughed to himself as Doppler balanced on his heels, his fingers beginning to toy with the hem of his jacket. Jim, however, took a more casual stroll and closed the door behind him. He had only seen the good Doctor this excited once before and that was during the take-off for the Treasure Planet voyage when he was literally skipping around the deck, peering at the slightest thing with considerable interest. He wondered if Doppler would suddenly start leaping around the hall, howling like a love-sick puppy with his tongue hanging from his mouth and pupils larger than dinner plates.

The two headed down the hall, Doppler racing in front while Jim took slow steps, towards the registration office. Not a church. Doppler was not brought up in a religious home. Amelia had mentioned once that her parents were Christians however; her belief had died when she left home. She didn't like to talk about her family and past. He knew that her parents strongly disliked the idea of her becoming a Captain and that they practically disowned her the day she packed her bags to leave. She told him of her brother and sister although she had no idea where they were today. With a heavy heart, she told him that they were anti-Canid, like the majority of Felinid race. Other than their names, that was all he knew of the Smollet family.

It was a quiet, rainy Tuesday and the office was rather quiescent. A human couple hurried past and headed down to the opposite side of the building. Doppler passed the main office and headed towards the west wing of the building. Few staff nodded to him with a happy smile on their faces, dressed smartly in pristine white shirts and dark, ironed trousers. He smiled back, his stomach flipping as he skipped towards the waiting room. Heads turned to him; more congratulations were said with pats on the back. Half were dressed in Navy uniforms, all former colleagues of Amelia's, and few dressed in simple suits of rainbow colours. Mr Onyx, the late Mr Arrow's nephew, gave him a grin from across the room. He smiled back until his ear was pulled by the only relative of Amelia's who didn't care about her occupation or the race of her soon-to-be husband, her grandmother. The old Felinid yanked him down to her height so she could place a sloppy peck on the cheek, finished with a few playful taps on the other. Doppler could hear Jim snicker from behind him.

"First wedding I've been to in a long time," She muttered before starting to make her way towards the office. She used her walking stick to bat a few people out of her path. "Out of my way! Elderly and relation to the bride gets the first seats!"

The doors to the office opened and people started to swarm in. A chunk of seats were slashed into two by a large aisle that cut through right down the middle. A desk sat in front of them, the official marriage documents waiting to be signed by the navy fountain pen. A piano sat near, accompanied by two violins, waiting to play the tune that cued Amelia's final walk before they would be bounded by the ribbon of marriage.

Seats were filled, only three left empty.

One for Sarah, one for Aurora and another for Minerva.

His hands twitching, Doppler took his place at the front of the crowd. He folded his hands and stared at the navy fountain pen. He wanted to pick it up and sign the documents. He simply couldn't wait to finally be married to her. They had been planning this moment for too long. It was finally here. Today.

"Captain's late." Jim chuckled as he stood next to him.

Doppler's smile broadened. "That will drive her insane." He chuckled. Suddenly, a horrifying thought came to his mind. His stomach plummeted. His excitement soon turned to dread. "Jim...what if...she's having second thoughts?"

To his surprise, Jim laughed. "Doc, she's not having second thoughts." He assured him. "She's been so excited this last week, there's no way she would not turn up."

"I noticed that too." Doppler muttered. She had been a lot gigglier, more hyperactive the past few days. On Saturday, she curled up to him and nuzzled him, grinning as she did so, and told him how she could hardly wait for Tuesday. Most of their conversations soon ended up about the wedding. She would grin, her eyes would dance and at one point, she would giggle. It lifted his heart when she did so. He loved seeing her so happy.

Jim's hand dug into his pocket, checking for the rings. Once he felt the familiar cold touch of the metal loops, he pulled his hand back out and gave Doppler a mischievous but supportive smile. He was dressed in his Academy uniform, the same one that was too big for him only a year ago. It now fitted perfectly, was pressed and spick and span. Jim looked much more confident wearing it and his eyes were much warmer and welcoming than they were nearly two years ago. Doppler could hardly believe the transformation a single voyage had done to him.

The crowd suddenly hushed. Doppler took a deep breath. The violinists started to play Pachelbel Canon, a personal favourite of Amelia's. Jim turned his head sharply before letting out a hushed whistle. Following his lead, Doppler also glanced over his shoulder, his stomach somersaulting and his mind racing.

Sarah walked first, dressed in a simple, pale blue gown. Behind her came Minerva, a colleague of Amelia's in the first Procyon battle. Then Aurora, another close colleague, followed. They all wore the same gowns, held bouquets of little blue and white Forget-Me-Nots, another favourite of Amelia's. Their hair was tied in tight buns, faces clear of any make up.

Then she came.

Her beauty nearly knocked the wind out of him. She stood in the door frame, blushing slightly before taking the first steps, alone. He knew she wasn't a big fan of dresses but Heavens, she looked so beautiful in them. Her wedding dress was nothing fancy yet she made it look like the most amazing dress ever to have been created. It had no sleeves or straps but it clung to her chest and waist. At the hips, it fell loosely and trailed behind her slightly. On the torso, the fabric was stretched into various zigzags, pinned down with tiny silver flower-shaped pins, encrusted with little diamonds. There was her usual light apply of make-up: a touch of eye shadow, this time a light grey, a hint of blush (or was that just her natural blush?). Her eyebrows were perfectly shaped, her lips their, to his surprise, natural shade of crimson. For this special day, she had grown her scarlet hair to just past her shoulders. Most of it was pulled back into a bun while the under layer fell in loose curls. No jewellery, apart from the little heart-shaped necklace around her neck - the same one he bought her on their first outing together as a couple. In her hands she held a much larger version of the bridesmaids' bouquets but the Forget-Me-Nots were accompanied with white roses. No tiara, no veil. She had made it very clear she didn't want anything too fancy or, in her own words, 'posh'. A nice, simple wedding. Nothing too extravagant or too lavished.

Breaths were taken when Amelia stepped into the room. She gave a shy smile, her cheeks blushed even more. He was sure there was a slight glow around her. She walked forward, her eyes fixed on him. As the bridesmaids sat down, she joined his side. No one gave her away. After all, no male member of her family was here. Her father wanted no word from her, she was cut off from her brother. It was a subject never approached.

Amelia's eyes met his and she gave him a grateful smile. He looked so dashing in that suit and tie. This had to be the best day of her entire life. However, the heavy eyes of the guests made her fidget. She leaned closer and whispered to him. "I hate it when people stare."

He chuckled at her distress. "You look beautiful."

With a thankful smile, she turned and handed her bouquet to a waiting Sarah. More smiles were exchanged before she turned back to face the judge. The human smiled at both of them before turning to his thick book of marriage. As he started to speak about marriage, Doppler's hands twitched. He wanted to take her hand but at the moment, she was nervously fiddling with her engagement ring.

It was finally happening.

The judge asked for anyone who opposed against their marriage. There was an awkward silence. He and Amelia glanced over their shoulders, skimming over the crowd to see if anyone was standing. Thankfully, everyone was seated. His eyes flickered back to Amelia's face and he stamped down a laugh when he saw her glaring at the crowd. She had jokingly promised to pull her most intimidating face at whoever dared to disrupt their wedding and to also 'deck' them. He was amused (and pleased) that she had kept her promise.

After the longest few seconds of Doppler's life, the judge continued the wedding.

"Delbert Doppler, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to love her, comfort her, honour her and keep her in sickness and in health for as long as you both shall live?"

Doppler's stomach did a flip. "I do."

Giving out an inaudible sigh of relief, the judge moved on to Amelia, repeating the same words, apart from replacing his name with hers, wife with husband and her to him. Her crisp, English accent replied: "I do."

The judge gave Doppler a nod, taking it as his cue for the vows. The couple turned to each other, smiling slightly with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Into Doppler's open palm fell a slender loop. Jim gave him a sly grin and a wink as Doppler turned and slid it perfectly onto Amelia's extended finger. It pinged slightly as it came in contact with her engagement ring. Clearing his voice before he spoke, Doppler opened his mouth to say his vows:

"I, Delbert Doppler, take you, Amelia Katherine Smollet, to be my wedded wife, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death do us part."

Doppler's heart gave a leap. He recited his words perfectly, no stumbles or stuttered, if it was a little rushed. Amelia have him an amused and proud smile as she offered to take his hand eagerly. His heart soaring, Doppler allowed Amelia to take his hand and slide his own ring, a much larger version of her own. From the corner of his eye, he could catch the flashes from the cameras.

"I, Amelia Katherine Smollet, take you, Delbert Doppler to be my wedded husband, to have and to hold, for better or worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish till death do us part."

Her words were clear and paced as she pronounced them. As the final words passed her lips, her eyes glimmered with enthusiasm. Their thoughts matched; it was finally official.

Their hands still gripping each others, they turned back to the beaming judge. "By the power invested by me, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He closed his law book and folded his hands around it. With a gleam in his eye, he looked Doppler right in his own eyes and smiled. "You may now kiss your bride."

The moment he had been waiting for had arrived. Although it was nearly all over, Doppler was still trembling with eagerness and zeal. They turned back to each other, beaming and struggling to not grin so widely. She was so beautiful, Doppler spent a moment to just simply stare at his new wife. Amelia raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you going to kiss me or not?" She grinned. He chuckled.

With ardour, Doppler leaned forward and sealed the ceremony with a loving kiss. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her closer. There were 'awws' from a few people, a wolf whistle from Jim and a loud sob from the back (which surprisingly was revealed to come from a tearful Mr Onyx).

A purr escaped Amelia's throat, only to achieve a chuckle from her husband. It suited him so well: her _husband_. She was his _wife_. She was _Mrs Doppler_ now. Captain Amelia Katherine_ Doppler_. Amelia was so glad that the big day had finally come, even if her family wished to be there or not (with the exception of her daft grandmother). However, the excitement that had been brewing inside her for over a week had not died just yet. The ceremony was not completely over.

Now all that waited was the only paperwork that both he and Amelia would be perfectly glad to fill out: their marriage documents.


	6. Impressed

**Impressed ~ Make someone feel Admired and Respected**

She probably won his admiration from the very beginning, even if he hated her.

It sounded completely insane but it was true. Despite her bossiness and her obsessive compulsive disorder with schedules, he couldn't help up admire the way she composed herself. She held herself with a great amount of dignity, walked with such grace and even though her words were sometimes cold and harsh, they were clear and crisply spoken. Never caught off guard, always thinking to steps ahead. The way she swung from the ropes on their very first meeting was extremely impressive. She was sarcastic, apparently a fan of black comedy, and hailed great attention to detail. She was everything Doppler wasn't: elegant, proud, confident. He was too shy, too clumsy and too humble. Sometimes, he wished he had her talent of being graceful.

He was watching her, trying not to make it so obvious, while she was currently evaluating the mopped floors. Amelia dragged the sole of her boots across the decking to check if it was dry. Her foot did not glide easily so she was satisfied. She moved on, turning to port. She walked so easily, as if she was floating on air, and the long tail of her coat swayed with her easy movement.

Then her ear twitched. Frowning, she turned and stared down the bow. Her face moulded into one of confusion and then surprise. Curious, Doppler turned to see what she was staring at.

Suddenly, there was a flash of golden orange and the whole ship was pushed back, groaning. Poor Doppler was thrown off his feet and tumbled to the ground in a disastrous heap. Amelia had been lucky, her fast reflexes allowed her to stabilize herself on the mast. The orange faded and the Legacy steadied herself.

"What in God's name was that?" Amelia snapped and pushed herself back onto her feet, the wind picking up incredibly quickly.

The good doctor got to his own feet and darted past her. He stood at the port, ears perked and alert like a dog on guard duty. His eyes scanned the horizon. "Good Heavens." He gasped. From his pocket, he produced a golden telescope and he brought it to his eye, adjusting it slightly. "The star Permusa,"

Instantly, Amelia's eyes widened. She knew. Through the telescope, Doppler could clearly see the huge explosion, sending magillas towards them. "It's gone supernova!" Doppler yelled over the growing winds.

When he turned back, she was gone.

"Evasive action, Mr Turnbuckle!" She ordered, racing up the steps. Her immediate taking of control slightly impressed him. He stumbled after her, hoping his knowledge of stars may come in some use. But where was Jim? His eyes darted around, searching for the young boy he was supposed to be watching over. Thankfully, he found him ready to secure his lifeline around his waist, following Mr Arrow's order.

What about his lifeline?

_ No time_, he thought. They had to get out of here. The ship lurched at a sudden turning and Doppler hurried up to the bridge.

"Doctor, take the navigation controls." She ordered, rushing around from one side of the bridge to the other. "I want a course out of here in the next thirty seconds, never mind where it takes us."

He instantly jumped to the navigation controls. "Aye, aye Captain."

Another wave hit them, consuming them entirely into a fiery word of flames and debris. From the Captain's stateroom, there came an almighty crash. His heartbeat quickening, Doppler's fingers flew over the touch screen. A map instantly popped up. He glanced at the digital compass. They were far off course. His fingers leapt to the sonar screen. They were a fair distance away from the core but with every second, they were falling deeper into the inferno.

Something loomed over his shoulder. "Report, Doctor."

"Keep heading north until we get out of her destruction span". He replied, his ears flapping madly in the high winds. With a flick of his forefinger, the map skipped to the power thrusters of the Legacy. "We might have to pick up speed if we want to avoid the core."

She gave a firm nod. "Done." And then she was gone. "Mr Meltdown, man the cannons!"

Doppler jumped back to the sonar. The dust and head got into his eyes, making them water. For a quick second, he wiped away the beaded sweat on his forehead and he blinked hard. For a few seconds, the power increased and they sped away. The deck beneath him was unsteady. He glanced over his shoulder to see her darting around the bridge, making orders and analysing the controls. The wind made her hair a fiery halo around her head. Her eyes were burning with determination. Despite the life threatening situation, he felt in good hands and was impressed with the way she took control of the situation. He turned back to the sonar, watching the statistics until he felt intense heat burn on his neck. His stomach sinking, Doppler whirled around to see a massive meteorite, red hot and practically hissing in his ears.

Three shots from the cannon hit it, doing absolutely no damage at all.

"Good Heavens…" He gasped. In desperation, he glanced down to the Captain, who stood at the railing while looking up.

The heat was intense. Doppler raised his arm to shield his face. Then suddenly…everything just…turned the opposite direction…

"It can't be!" Doppler gasped. The meteorite soared away, the heat dying instantly. Completely shocked, Doppler stumbled forward. He hit the railing, his jaw completely fell open. "It's…devolving into a…" He took in a sharp breath, his chest getting tighter with every second. His head turned sharply to Amelia, who glared at the star calmly. "_A black hole!"_

She did not react. Instead, she glared at it, not in the slightest panicked. How could she possibly keep calm in a situation like this?

"We're being pulled in!" Mr Turnbuckle cried as he wrestled with the wheel. With a grunt, he was hurled away and the ship lurched. He slid across the bridge and slammed into the railing.

Amelia lunged to the wheel. "Oh no you don't!" She hissed and grasped the wheel firmly. With great strength, she steadied the ship as the muscles on her arms and back tensed to hold the wheel in place. He stared for a second, admiring her strength, before hurrying back to the sonar. If they wanted to get out this alive, he would have to flex his astronomical intelligence and come up with a way to somehow get out of here.

His fingers flickered over the sonar screen, bringing up various recorded speeds and times of the magillas. Doing the complex calculations in his head, he heard Amelia curse as she wrestled with the wheel.

"Blast these waves!" She hissed, squinting through the dust. "They're seducingly erratic!"

"No Captain," He shouted back. "They're not erratic at all!"

He peered closely at the screen, making sure he had done the calculations correctly. "There will be one more in precisely forty-seven-point-two seconds, followed by the biggest magilla of them all!"

She turned to him sharply, a switch flicked in her mind. For a second, she admired his way with numbers before grinning to herself. "Of course," She gasped. "Brilliant Doctor!"

Doppler froze, his jaw dropped and eyes wide. Did she-

"We'll ride that last magilla out of here!"

Although her plan was not what he expected, Doppler thought for a moment and realised it _could actually work_. A tiny smile formed on his lips and he excitedly analysed the numbers on the sonar. They might actually live thanks to her quick-thinking. It all came crashing back down when she shouted an order to Jim.

"Make sure all life lines are secured good and tight!"

His heart stopped when he realised he didn't have his life line on. He glanced over to her and his panic rose when he realised that she didn't have one on either. He glanced around for something to tie around himself and her, his eyes thankfully falling over a pile of spare rope.

"Captain!" He shouted over the high winds. She turned to him after complimenting Jim. "What about your lifeline?" He asked her.

Her eyes drifted to her waist and then to his. "And yours, Doctor?" She retorted before focusing on the distance. "We'll be fine, as long as we hold on-"

That second, the second magilla blew her off her feet and she slammed into the mast. She gasped, startled, before falling to the ground in a thump. "Captain!" He gasped and rushed to help her up. She was on her feet before he could grab her and she leapt back to the wheel.

"I'm fine Doctor." She replied, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. She gave a smirk and a chuckle, even in this dangerous situation, and steadied the ship. "Actually, I might need that lifeline."

Taking her seriously, he turned to the rope but his eyes fell upon the calculations and he realised that he was too late. "Captain, the last wave!" He shouted. "Here it comes!"

"Hold onto your lifelines, gents!" She called out as the crew scrambled all over the deck and up the rigging. Quickly, she started to turn the wheel to the right. The ship lurched and followed her instruction so it fell astern down the black hole. "It's going to be a bumpy ride!"

He had about a few seconds to secure his and her life line.

Weakly, he tried to pull the heap of rope towards them. It was heavier than it looked and it was much harder trying to find the end of the rope as his vision darkened with each millisecond and when his mind is racing and praying.

_Please let this work, please let this work._

He could nearly hear her saying the same thing to herself as she clutched the wheel much tighter, her knuckles turning white underneath her gloves. She closed her eyes, ready to accept death if necessary, but she was sure in her plan. She just hoped the Doctor's calculations weren't wrong. He may be a scatterbrain but hopefully, he was intelligent enough not to make such a vital mistake.

From miles away, there was a loud bang. Their hearts soared with hope. The sound of a thousand tidal waves approached them faster than the speed of light. TheLegacy was thrust forward, the solar sails lit up with energy and the back thrusters gave them an extra boost to fly out of harm's way and into the peaceful Etherium.

She heard him go "_oof_!" as the force of the thrust had sent him soaring into the side of the bridge and even her own feet elevated from the floor. Once they were plain sailing, she steadied the ship and was greeted by the celebrating cheers of the crew. She smiled down at them before sinking away, exhausted.

Her eyes fell on him as he struggled to escape from the mound of rope he had somehow got himself tangled into. She smirked and repressed a chuckle as she kept her head up and walked past him calmly.

"Captain!" He called for her, out of breath. "That was – oh my goodness – that was…that was absolutely…that was the most-"

He huffed and retained his laughter, eyes wide with left over excitement, as he untangled himself and carelessly flung the rope aside. He stumbled after her, motioning to the massive clump of fire and dust they left behind.

She wiped away his loss of words with a few words. "Oh, tish-tosh."

He blinked and gazed at her, checking he had actually heard…did she just simply shrug her shoulders at that _amazing_ adventure?

As she charted their coordinates, the memory of the good Doctor's calculations came back to her mind. Without his astronomical knowledge, they all would be surely dead. Without him, she'd be consumed in an abyss of darkness. Honestly, she was impressed. For a second, she hesitated to praise him, as if his ego needed to be stroked, but realised that he was worthy of some recognition.

"Actually, Doctor, your astronomical advice was most helpful." She gave him a glance, seeing him shyly glancing at his feet. As she stepped forward to reset the Legacy's route, she managed to see him perk up in surprise.

_Did she just…give me a compliment? _

"Well…uh…" He blinked a few times, trying to digest her sudden praise to him. "Thank you! Thank you very much!"

After all this time, he finally managed to get a proper compliment out of her. Finally, she recognised his superior intellect. Maybe he could try his luck and get another…

He leaned back on his heels, putting on a smug tone, as she glided impressively from the controls to the top of the stairs. "Well, I have a lot of help to offer, anatomically." He told her. His eyes widened. "Amanamonically-as…astronomically."

Sighing, he face palmed and hoped that she had missed his Freudian slip. Unfortunately, it didn't. She smirked and placed the memory in the back of her mind, keeping it to laugh at later. As she stepped down to congratulate the crew, she couldn't help but realise how impressive his mathematical skill was.


End file.
